“Water is life and central to Charles Sturt University’s (CSU’s) research plan for the future,” said Professor Paul Burnett, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Graduate Training as he turned on the tap last Friday (19 May) to commission CSU’s new Irrigation and Horticulture Research and Demonstration Area. The new facility at CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus will be used for research on irrigation systems and testing their performance on a field scale with all the required monitoring facilities. Before the area was developed there was no facility available at CSU and most irrigated agriculture research had to be done on farmer’s fields with limited control environments. Professor Paul Burnett said it was appropriate to be commissioning the new research facility during Water Week at CSU which brought together key international delegates to develop a cooperative approach to agriculture and water management. “CSU is enriched by sharing research projects and infrastructure and this new facility will boost CSU’s competitiveness in bidding for specialist research projects and funding on irrigated crops,” Professor Burnett said. The area will also be used for research projects by students in the School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences. Richard Burbury, 19, of Tasmania, a first-year student in CSU’s Bachelor of Irrigation Science degree, was presented with the $10,000 three-year Irrigation Initiative Scholarship to pursue his studies in irrigation.